History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

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HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

was removed to Pontiac and there established as the Gazette. He also
built the Genesee House in Flint, and resided there for some years, doing much for the prosperity of the village.
ORIGEN D. RICHARDSON
The next attorney admitted to the bar in the Oakland courts who
attained a "local habitation and a name" in the county was Origen D.
Richardson, who, for nearly thirty years, was a leading and prominent
member of the bar, and noted as well throughout the state. He was admitted at the July term, I826, of the circuit court, having been a regular
practicing attorney in Vermont, from whence he came to Michigan in
I826. He began and completed his study of the law, preparatory to his
admission to practice, with his brother-in-law, Israel P. Richardson, in
Vermont. He was prosecuting attdrney of the county in 1832, and was
elected lieutenant-governor of Michigan in the fall of 1841, and again in
1843, serving the state in that position during the years of I841-45. In
the fall of 1854, Governor Richardson removed to Omaha, Nebraskaa territory then-and, as a member of the first and second sessions of
the legislature of the new state, "acted a prominent and useful part in
framing some of the laws now on its statute books." He was one of the
commissioners to codify the laws of the state. He died at Omaha, November 29, I876, at the advanced age of eighty-one years, of apoplexy;
and was followed by his almost equally aged wife and companion but a
brief period afterward, and with her was laid to rest in the same grave
in Prospect Hill cemetery and on the same day.
GIDEON O. WHITTEMORE
Another prominent attorney and citizen of Oakland county, who was
admitted to the practice of the law before the courts of the county at
the same time as Governor Richardson, viz., February term, I826, was
Gideon O. Whittemore, Esquire, who located at Pontiac and was afterwards judge of probate, master in chancery and prosecuting attorney.
He was also a prominent justice of the peace. He removed to Tawas,
in this state, where he died some years ago. Mr. Whittemore was one
of the first regents of the University in I837.
ROBERT P. ELDREDGE
The next attorney who located in the county was Robert P. Eldredge,
who was admitted in the county court November, 1828. He read law
with Governor Richardson, and removed early to Mount Clemens, where
he was long in practice. He came from the state of New York to Michigan, and he prided himself on his Indian blood, claiming to be a lineal
descendant of Pocohontas. His son, who became his legal partner, was
at one time judge of probate of Macomb county. Mr. Eldredge was
prosecuting attorney of the court at the term of which he was admitted
to the bar, and was secretary of state under Governor Barry from 1841
to I846.